Sarkar Raj

A.V: ***

E.V: ***

 

The opening scene of Ram Gopal Verma’s Sarkar showed an old man talking to the patriarch figure about the brutal murder of his young daughter by some young goons. As the aggrieved father breaks down and pleads for justice to Sarkar, the camera suddenly focuses on the latter’s enraged face. The expression of outrage written on it underlined the ideals and authority practiced by the man who everyone fears and reveres. No slow motions or lingering close-ups, just one swift camera shot conveyed it all. The same poignancy for which Ramu was respected as a filmmaker till some time ago. However post a certain RGV Ke Aag and numerous ‘James’ clones, the audience expectations from him are low, notwithstanding the celebrity star cast in his latest venture, Sarkar Raj. And perhaps this time, Ramu has introspected like never before to redeem his name and credibility.

 

Sarkar Raj, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Sarkar carries forward the legacy of the Nagre family. Unlike the last time around which dealt more with gang wars, the focus here is mainly towards political gamesmanship. Subhash Nagre (Amitabh Bachhan) continues to be the messiah of the masses, this time however it is his son Shankar (Abhishek) who takes center stage as he takes over the reins of the business, ala Michael Corleone. The resemblance to Godfather ends there. Shankar is convinced that a power plant project planned by an international company is the need of the hour for the state and citizens. There is only one hitch as the CEO of the project, Anita (Aishwarya) puts it: the project site is designed to be set up in place of five villages which would mean rehabilitation of all the villagers. There are the usual hurdles in the path; the unscrupulous businessmen and slimy politicians and a vociferous rabble rouser who threaten to disrupt the project. Taking it as a personal responsibility, Shankar overcomes all of them with the support of Anita till tragedy strikes. And a much bigger conspiracy is revealed.

 

If the highlight of the last film was the chemistry between Big B and Junior B, this one is another first with the addition of the Junior Mrs. B. The producers and Verma himself would have considered it a recipe for success, but it is the characterization which is the winning formula here. The villains on the other hand look juvenile and idiotic, instead of menacing which makes the protagonists look slightly larger than life. The second half of the film does get gruesome, perhaps required by the subject. The film is shot in sepia tone to maintain the continuity. A mention has to be made about the background score, and the ‘Govinda’ chant which seemed overdone for the most part and ultimately creates more noise than effect.

 

At the end of the day, it is Amitabh who breathes life and soul into the central character. Having aged a few more years and acquired a stoop, his expressions speak more than his dialogues. Whether it is sizing up a wily henchman or coping with his personal losses or simply that cold blooded stare in the closing moments of the movie, he conveys it all through his eyes. Abhishek picks up from where he left of in the last installment, only this time his character has matured much more than earlier. For the first few sequences, it seems though he wears the same thinking expression every time but the development of his character is one of the highlights here. Aishwarya carries of the business woman look with élan, but her relationship with Abhishek could have been better explored.

 

Notwithstanding his curiosity in mafia and underworld themes, Ramu surely know the difference between megalomania and sticking to one’s basics now. As Sarkar put it, “Janta aasman par nahi, zameen par rehte hai.”

 

- Suprateek Sinha